RENAULT 12
Generations Timeline, Specs and Pictures
The Renault 12 was launched at the 1969 Paris Motor Show and it was an important step forward for the French car-maker.
It was a very successful car, manufactured and sold around the globe.
The aged Renault 8 and 10 needed a replacement for a family car. The Renault 16 was successful with its front-wheel-drive and front-engine architecture, while the Renault 8 and 10 with everything in the back were struggling. The Renault 12 was the right answer and it featured a better solution for the drivetrain. It was manufactured in France, Argentina, Turkey, and Romania. The later produced the car until 2004.
With the new, landscape-type headlights from the Renault 16 and classic three-box design, the Renault 12 was a simple car that offered enough room for a family and enough trunk space. It was also available in station-wagon form.
Inside, the car featured only a ventilation system and a simple, three-round dials design for the instrument cluster. Depending on the trim level, it was available with or without an armrest for the rear passengers.
Under the hood, there was a 1.3-liter engine mated to a four-speed manual gearbox. For other markets, the Renault 12 received also a 1.4- and a 1.6-liter engine, which was a carry-over from the Renault 16. The front independent suspension and a rear rigid axle was a fair balance between price and comfort.
In 1969, Renault introduced the 12 at the Paris Motor Show.
It was so successful that soon after the French car-maker sold the license to built the car to more countries and was sold around the globe.
The aged Renault 8 and 10 needed a replacement for a family car. The Renault 16 was successful with its front-wheel-drive and front-engine architecture, while the Renault 8 and 10 with the engine and gearbox in the back were struggling. The Renault 12 was the right answer and it featured a better solution for the drivetrain. It was manufactured in France, Argentina, Turkey, and Romania. The later country produced the car until 2004 in both shapes as a sedan and a station-wagon.
With the new, landscape-type headlights from the Renault 16 and classic three-box design, the Renault 12 was a simple car that offered enough room for a family and enough trunk space. The station-wagon version was slightly longer and featured a liftgate with a wide opening.
Inside, the car featured only a ventilation system and a simple, three-round dials design for the instrument cluster. For the rear bench, the car featured a folding seatback, which extended the trunk area with a flat area, something that was highly appreciated at that time.
Under the hood, there was a 1.3-liter engine mated to a four-speed manual gearbox. For other markets, the Renault 12 received also a 1.4- and a 1.6-liter engine, which was a carry-over from the Renault 16. The front independent suspension and a rear rigid axle was a fair balance between price and comfort.
Following into the footsteps of the glorious Renault 8 Gordini, the French car-maker tried to obtain a second success with the newly developed, front-wheel-drive Renault 12 and it added a Gordini version.
For those times, it was like an AMG for the Mercedes-Benz.
From the outside, there were not so many noticeable differences between the regular Renault 12 and the Renault Gordini, other than the four round headlights design for the latter. But that was available on the Renault 12 in TL (luxury) trim level. To make a difference, most of the Gordini models had a twin-stripe design with lines that started from the hood, followed the entire length of the car on to the trunk. The race version didn’t feature bumpers. A special set of wheels was installed on the three-lug bolt system, with wider tires.
Inside, there were more differences than on the regular Renault 12. The car featured standard bucket seats and a tachometer. The five-speed gearbox was fitted as standard on the Gordini, while it was unavailable for the rest of the R12 range.
Under the hood, the standard engine featured a 1.6-liter inline-four from the Renault 16, fed by two double-barrel Weber carburetors. There was also an option to fit the car with two double-barrel Dellorto 40 carburetors, which increased the power. Along with a new camshaft, the engine could offer up to 160 hp. The front independent suspension used the parallel wheel design, and that didn’t help too much on the corners, while the rear suspension was with a floating rigid axle and coil springs.